No eating while driving?

New Jersey governor Jon Corizine is gearing up to sign bills banning drivers from text messaging, using hands-on cell phones and smoking with kids in the car. As a Senator, Corzine sponsored unsuccessful legislation that would have withheld federal highway funding from states that failed to ban hand-held cellphones while driving.

“Why not get a ham sandwich bill together — no eating while driving?” said Steve Carrellas, the New Jersey coordinator for the National Motorists Association. “How about no talking?”

Well, actually … nationally, many legislators are skipping the specific bills and attempting to pass wide-ranging and ambiguous “distracted while driving laws.” These sort of laws give police almost unlimited pretext to pull you over or issue you a fine.

Last March the police chief in Winnetka, Ill., decided to stop playng around, for instance. He proposed a “distracted driving” law “that — among routine prohibitions — would also ban tuning the radio.”

Police Chief Joseph DeLopez said his plan would outlaw radio tuning, talking to passengers and tending to children or pets while driving in addition to the more typical bans on using electronic devices, reading the newspaper or applying makeup.

I wonder what the fine will be for yelling at the kids?